Can Medicaid survive 10% cuts in Texas?

Texans may find out soon. The Legislature is considering, according to the AP, “a 10 percent cut in Medicaid payments to physicians, hospitals and other providers and a $4 million reduction in services (for) mental health patients.”

Yet many doctors and hospitals are complaining now that Medicaid doesn’t provide enough reimbursement for treating patients.

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Ten years ago, more than 60 percent of Texas doctors accepted new Medicaid patients. That number has been falling steadily and now stands at 43 percent.

Some fear that further cuts would accelerate this trend and make it virtually impossible for new Medicaid patients to find doctors who will treat them.

Whaddya think?

Does this sound like a good idea? Or is our budget crisis so severe that changes like this are needed?

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